Trying to make your lunchtime more eco-friendly? Here are a few ways to reduce exposure to plastic toxins, the amount of trash you generate and take your lunchbox from EEK! to ECO.

Tips provided by Sandra Ann Harris, founder of ECOlunchbox and author of Say Goodbye to Plastic

BPA-Free Plastic vs Reusable Stainless Steel

We've all heard about the dangers of BPA (bisphenol-A). This chemical widely found in plastics mimics estrogen, so it can cause all kinds of hormone disruptions.

Plastic companies have done a switcheroo and in order to label their products BPA-free, replaced it with BPS (bisphenol substitute), which some researches believe is even more toxic than BPA.

Metal is awesome for foods, right? Yes, this is true when it comes to stainless steel, which is non-toxic, lighter weight than glass, non-breakable, reusable, and easy to clean. However, not all metal is created equal.

Too much aluminum in your life can cause a whole host of problems, both short- and long-term. Be safe and stick to stainless steel!

Organic Juice Boxes and Snack Packs 

Many parents will buy organic juice boxes thinking that they are doing a good thing by keeping their kids hydrated with organics. But they don’t realize that these juice boxes really stack up in the landfill.

Using a refillable bottle is much better for people and the planet.

Blue Ice Packs vs Alternative Cooling Options

Keeping food cool, especially perishables that might spoil, is important, but using a blue ice pack is a poor solution when it comes to sustainability. Most people reflexively throw in an ice pack without pausing to think about the environmental downsides.

Made of plastic and filled with gel beads, sodium polyacrylate and other chemicals, these blue ice packs are not recyclable and end up in the landfill where they leak into the ecosystem.

Bid farewell to blue ice packs and make way for a more eco-friendly solution: steel water bottles packed with ice cubes! These are durable and long-lasting, reducing the need for single-use plastic bottles and disposable containers.

Adding ice - an entirely safe and chemical-free cooling solution.

Compostable Bioplastics Cutlery

Some of the organic, pre-packaged foods tout super cute bio-plastic utensils, which give parents a good feeling that by choosing bioplastics they’re doing the right thing.

But hold on a sec, how is that plastic going to compost? Who’s going to handle that? Not your local garbage company.

Choose to reuse instead. For a more eco-friendly solution, pick out a stainless steel spork or bamboo utensil set.

For more info about Say Goodbye to Plastic, visit - www.amazon.com/dp/1578268605

Learn more, visit - www.ecolunchboxes.com